scholarly journals Bright light for nonseasonal depression?

2011 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. E37-E38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Young
CNS Spectrums ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 647-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Terman ◽  
Jiuan Su Terman

AbstractBright light therapy for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) has been investigated and applied for over 20 years. Physicians and clinicians are increasingly confident that bright light therapy is a potent, specifically active, nonpharmaceutical treatment modality. Indeed, the domain of light treatment is moving beyond SAD, to nonseasonal depression (unipolar and bipolar), seasonal flare-ups of bulimia nervosa, circadian sleep phase disorders, and more. Light therapy is simple to deliver to outpatients and inpatients alike, although the optimum dosing of light and treatment time of day requires individual adjustment. The side-effect profile is favorable in comparison with medications, although the clinician must remain vigilant about emergent hypomania and autonomic hyperactivation, especially during the first few days of treatment. Importantly, light therapy provides a compatible adjunct to antidepressant medication, which can result in accelerated improvement and fewer residual symptoms.


Author(s):  
Sarah Bogen ◽  
Tanja Legenbauer ◽  
Stephanie Gest ◽  
Martin Holtmann

Abstract. Objective: In recent years, bright light therapy (BLT) has been used to treat depression and to stabilize circadian rhythms. In this study we evaluated whether it is also helpful for comorbid symptoms of affective and behavioral dysregulation in depressive inpatients. Method: This article reports a secondary analysis comparing two subgroups of depressive participants with comorbid affective and behavioral dysregulation, captured with the dysregulation-profile of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-DP; n = 16 vs. n = 11). Participants were randomly allocated to active BLT (10,000 lux) or control BLT (approx. 100 lux), and received 45 minutes of BLT for 2 weeks. SDQ-DP scores, sleep parameters, and circadian preference were assessed at baseline, after the intervention, and 3 weeks later. Results: No direct effects on SDQ-DP scores were observed. Sleep improved in both conditions. Only in the active BLT condition was a circadian phase advance found. Correlation and regression analyses indicated an indirect, circadian effect for improved SDQ-DP scores. Conclusions: The data of this pilot trial should be considered preliminary and merely descriptive. Further research is warranted.



2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepak K. Sharma ◽  
Spencer T. Adams ◽  
Kate L. Liebmann ◽  
Adam Choi ◽  
Stephen Miller

Many fluorophores, and all bright light-emitting substrates for firefly luciferase, contain hydroxyl or amine electron donors. Here we show that sulfonamides can serve as replacements for these canonical groups. Unlike “caged” carboxamides, sulfonamide analogues enable bioluminescence, and sulfonamidyl luciferins, coumarins, rhodols, and rhodamines are fluorescent in water. Sulfonamide donors thus have previously unappreciated potential to expand the functional repertoire of luminescent molecules.


1998 ◽  
Vol 274 (4) ◽  
pp. R991-R996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth B. Klerman ◽  
David W. Rimmer ◽  
Derk-Jan Dijk ◽  
Richard E. Kronauer ◽  
Joseph F. Rizzo ◽  
...  

In organisms as diverse as single-celled algae and humans, light is the primary stimulus mediating entrainment of the circadian biological clock. Reports that some totally blind individuals appear entrained to the 24-h day have suggested that nonphotic stimuli may also be effective circadian synchronizers in humans, although the nonphotic stimuli are probably comparatively weak synchronizers, because the circadian rhythms of many totally blind individuals “free run” even when they maintain a 24-h activity-rest schedule. To investigate entrainment by nonphotic synchronizers, we studied the endogenous circadian melatonin and core body temperature rhythms of 15 totally blind subjects who lacked conscious light perception and exhibited no suppression of plasma melatonin in response to ocular bright-light exposure. Nine of these fifteen blind individuals were able to maintain synchronization to the 24-h day, albeit often at an atypical phase angle of entrainment. Nonphotic stimuli also synchronized the endogenous circadian rhythms of a totally blind individual to a non-24-h schedule while living in constant near darkness. We conclude that nonphotic stimuli can entrain the human circadian pacemaker in some individuals lacking ocular circadian photoreception.


SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A287-A288
Author(s):  
Joey W Chan ◽  
Y K Wing ◽  
S P Lam ◽  
Shirley Xin Li ◽  
J Zhang

Abstract Introduction Drop out during treatment hampers therapeutic effect of interventions. The current study examines the possible predictors of drop out during the five-week light treatment in patients with unipolar non-seasonal depression and evening-chronotype. Methods Baseline characteristics including demographics, sleep diary parameters, light treatment prescribed, and early clinical outcomes changes were compared between the Drop out and Non drop out group. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine predictors for drop out. All data were analyzed in a modified intention to treat analysis with last observation carried forward approach. Results A total of 91 subjects (Female 79%, 46.3 ± 11.8 years old) were included in the analysis. There was no significant difference in the baseline demographic and clinical characteristics between the Drop out and Non drop out group. There was also no significant difference in the improvement of clinical parameters over the first week among the two groups. However, treatment non-adherence (in terms of compliance of less than 80% of prescribed duration) over the first treatment week predicts a five-fold increase in risk of drop out during light therapy. (OR: 5.85, CI: 1.414–24.205, p=0.015) after controlling for potential confounders including age, gender, treatment group, patient expectation, and treatment-emergent adverse events. Conclusion This study found that baseline clinical characteristics including depression severity and improvement of depressive symptoms in the initial week did not differ between the Drop out and Non drop out group. The drop out was also not affected by the type of light (dim red versus bright red light), indirectly supporting dim red light as a valid placebo in bright light therapy trial. Treatment adherence is the early phase of light treatment is an important predictor of drop out. Support (if any):


2021 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 395-404
Author(s):  
A Wilkins

Photophobia (fear of light) occurs in a wide range of ophthalmic, neurological and behavioural conditions, the most common of which is migraine. The visual discomfort associated with migraine can occur not only in response to bright light but also flicker, spatial pattern and colour. The principles that underlie the discomfort are explored and methods to reduce it are proposed.


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